Gives You Hell

By: azzie adams

For those with questions about WYSNAA, when I find the time I will continue writing that story. I've been neglecting both and I'm at the point where I feel comfortable continuing this story but I don't want to go into overload this quick and stop again. I hope everyone understands. I'm graduating soon and school and my job are the first things on my priority list.

Thank you OccAmy Phyre. You are definitely a lifesaver.

Twenty-Three: We own the Night

Edward stepped out onto the porch.

As much as he wasn't looking forward to any confrontation with the Volturi, he was starting to wish it were happening sooner. After all, the sooner it happened, the sooner Harry and Albus would be back. As it was, Alice still saw it was still another week before the Volturi would arrive.

The thing about having two full houses was that even when you wished to be alone, you weren't.

He realized that as he looked up and saw one of the annoying blonds in the yard, staring up at the sky. Draco. Harry's former lover.

Edward felt in many ways that he had been foolish to think that Harry hadn't had a large number of lovers in his uncommonly long life, but having to hear about all his other affairs was still hard. And he heard an earful whenever he was around Draco.

The blond didn't seem to have a pure thought in his head. He was always thinking about his next conquest or his former conquests. And when he thought about the past, no one was more prevalent than Harry.

At first Edward thought the boy way trying to mock or irritate him. Edward knew Harry left to help them, and he was angry that he wasn't stronger and able to block out all the other influences around him. By all means, he should have been. But it was torture not having Harry around to affirm it to him every time Draco recounted one their many trysts together.

This was one of those instances.

"Think you could control your libido for a few minutes? I came out here for solitude."

"So did I, and look, you've ruined it," Draco smirked, passing a sideways glance at Edward.

Harry fell onto the bed, and was immediately covered by the pale blond, hands entwined above their heads and their tongues battling for dominance.

"Cut it out," Edward growled.

"I swear it's not on purpose. I can't help it if I'm hornier than a ram in the middle of April," Draco smiled, eyeing Edward's form. "Fancy a rough and tumble?"

"I'm with Harry."

"So am I. Believe me, no one knows the importance of sexual satisfaction better than Harry."

Edward recalled all the times that Harry had been nervous when they were about to be intimate, and wondered how Harry could have been nervous when Draco was so adamant about his prowess.

He decided not to ask, especially because it would directly conflict with his wanting to be alone and all. But the blond was persistent.

"I realize that you two have this thing going on but honestly I don't think Harry would mind. He's has a wide variety of sexual partners and doesn't mind when they seek gratification elsewhere. He's not the monotonous… I mean the monogamous type, you see."

Edward was very close to hearing enough. "Would you mind terribly leaving me alone? I came here for quiet and now I think I need it more than ever."

"Please. I'll be quiet. But keeping my mind quiet might be a harder task. Perhaps you should seek your solace elsewhere since I was here first. Be a gentleman for once, Cullen. Though I suppose the fact that you are both a redhead and a peasant, one can't expect much better manners."

Edward grinded his teeth loud enough he was sure Malfoy could hear. He broke into a run, past the boy and into the woods.

Draco shook his head, smiling to himself.

"Why do you taunt him like that?"

Draco turned and saw one of the Alaska vampires, Tanya was it? She was surely beautiful, but Draco had seen great beauty before and wasn't as affected as others might have been.

"Just testing the waters. It's my duty as Harry's friend and confident to make sure he makes the right choices."

"I hear that Harry makes many of the right choices, and either way, what business is it of yours? He's been around longer than you have and he has Albus, who I think is much more suited to be giving him advice as to picking the right mate."

Draco scoffed. "Harry will never choose a mate. This boy is just a fling and Harry will lose interest just as he has in the past. No doubt about it."

Tanya shook her head, but doubt was creeping into her eyes.

"Listen. Harry has been infatuated many a time. Unfortunately for him, he has an especially long life to live and there is hardly anyone that can manage to stay interesting for eternity. Believe me. This is a passing obsession, just like everyone else."

"Would one of his passing infatuations be you?"

Draco licked his lips. "Ours wasn't an infatuation, it was lust," he snapped.

Tanya's eyes glowed. "But you didn't think so at the time… did you?"

"Buzz off, girl. Don't talk of things you don't know."

Bella felt as though she had spent the last few weeks in the same place. Sitting in a chair at Harry's, watching as their party grew by the day. Sometimes it was friends of the Cullens. Sometimes it was more friends of Harry and Albus. The only thing that changed was the house.

Jacob was fine, only knocked out. Bellatrix wouldn't kill him, but she did think it was great fun to knock out a local before realizing that he was a werewolf. She brought him to Sirius as a joke, one that neither Sirius nor Remus thought was funny. But because they had heard there was a werewolf in the midst of the Cullens, they thought it best to bring him along. After all the other odd things that they knew they would be dealing with, they figured it was probably best not to Carlisle was tending to him, but he was a bit shaken up.

Sirius and Remus were put in charge of guarding Bellatrix and keeping her away from Bella. The crazy vampire said that she was trying, but in Bella's opinion it was not the moment to be experimenting with vegetarianism. It would have been better if she had significant time to adjust to the lifestyle. Not immediately thrown into a house with a human in the vicinity. But she figured that a vampire hoping to be a vegetarian was better than a vampire that wasn't.

She had come across Laurent a few times as well. Though he had promised not to hurt her, she was still uneasy around him. In fact, she was uneasy around everyone except Alice.

Edward wouldn't even talk to her. She knew he thought it was all her fault, and she knew that it sort of was. As soon as Harry and Albus came back it would be better, but then she remembered that when they did, the Volturi would probably be at their heels.

"Hello, pet."

Bella looked up in alarm. Bellatrix. The woman's eyes were swirling in delight as she rested her hand on the doorframe of Harry's room.

Carlisle had made the decision that she should stay at Harry and Albus' house for the time being, especially because the house was bigger and there was a better view from all sides. Plus all of the visitors seemed to be making their appearances at the Cullen residence, so it was safer elsewhere so the new vampires could get filled in and not have to deal with the sudden appearance of a human. It was a plus that it was Harry's room too, and she felt safer there than anywhere else.

Bellatrix was slowly advancing on Bella, but she didn't look like she was there to kill her. Unless of course she was in the habit of playing with her food before eating it.

Bella scrunched back in her seat, unsure of what to do. She could scream, but Bellatrix was fast and could muffle her before it had any effect. She could run, but that seemed pointless as well. So the best thing she could was keep calm and try to talk the insane woman out of having her for a mid-afternoon snack.

"You're a friend of Harry and Albus?" she asked.

Bellatrix cocked her head. "I wouldn't say we're friends. Indifferent acquaintances would be the better word. At least with Albus. I've always had a soft spot for ickle Harry. He's a real darling isn't he?"

Bella didn't know how to answer.

"It is a pity he's gotten himself into such trouble, fraternizing with riff raff. The Cullens are so below them. Powers are barely up to par with the Volturi, and beyond that they seem to be useless anyway. I wonder why they even bother."

"Harry and Albus are friendly with them. Harry and Edward have a special bond."

"OH!" Bellatrix screeched so high Bella thought she felt her eardrums shatter. "My little Harry is in love? Oh how wonderful. Which was it again?"

Bella thought she was making particularly good headway. "Edward. With red hair."

"I'm not familiar. Is he a twin?" Bella was about to answer but was cut off. "Oh well it doesn't matter! I always thought he would find himself a good boy. A bit mediocre but good, I suppose. Just hope his boy can put up with his horrible temper…"

Bella felt her pulse beginning to slow, but then Bellatrix was right in her face.

"And what is your purpose here, bird?"

Bella backed up as Bellatrix closed in. The woman was terribly frightening from far away, but she was demonic up close. Her dark curls covered her swirling red eyes and Bella was certain this kind of woman only existed in nightmares.

"I'm a friend of Harry and Edward's…" she managed to speak.

"I see…" Bellatrix hummed. "But what kind of friend are you that you would knowingly put ickle Harry in danger? Well, I suppose he's not in danger since he's more than capable of taking care of himself. But what of his lover?"

Bella blushed at the insinuation.

"Oh my. Do you have a crush on Harry?" Bellatrix looked too excited to contain herself. "Oh marvelous! I love a good intrigue! You're hoping the Volturi will kill Edward so you can have Harry to yourself!"

"NO!" Bella cried before remembering herself. It was probably best not to argue with a clinically unstable vampire with no witnesses about. "I mean, that's incorrect. I would never…"

"Oh dearie, your secret is safe with me…" Bellatrix laughed hysterically. Bella thought briefly that the only way Bellatrix could keep a secret would be if she were the last rational being on the planet.

"Aren't you supposed to be with Sirius and Remus…" Bella asked, hoping to rid herself of Bellatrix.

"They're downstairs, darling…" Her words dripped with sadistic pleasure. "I feel a connection with you, bird… so much so that I am going to share a secret with you."

Bella shook her head internally, but on the outside she merely remained stagnant.

Bellatrix drew closer. "Did you know that Albus and Harry used to kill humans as well?"

Bella bit her lip.

"Oh yes, my dear. Would you believe that that is how we met? Harry used to kill everything in sight; humans were only appetizers and entrees to him. Albus was just as bad. Don't let the old man fool you with his charms. He was a brute, wanting nothing more than power. He wanted you all as slaves. That is all you really are, anyway. Blood banks, and the only price is a piece of our soul. Easy, isn't it?"

Bellatrix was cruel and therefore Bella was not fast to believe her. Albus was a smart, funny and gentle person. Harry was cynical and had a bit of a temper, but she couldn't believe ill of either of them.

Harry? Killing hundreds of humans to eat them? Bella had to admit that it was a possibility, but then she remembered Harry's smiles. How could a person that could love so deeply do something so heartless? And even if he did, he was a vampire. Vampires drank blood. He was just doing what he was supposed to do to survive. Anyone would have done the same. But hundreds…

Bellatrix's smile only grew. "Ah. I know what you are. I don't suppose you've ever met Gianna, have you? No, you wouldn't. She works for the Volturi. Or rather… she did for a long time. She wanted to be a vampire. She thought that if she accepted their way of life and tried to help them, they would make her one of them. So she helped them get their meals, convincing friends and others to come and see the Volturi domain." Bellatrix seemed to take great pleasure in the story. "Of course, they never made her one of them. She was a human and the Volturi doesn't fraternize with humans. They eat them." Bellatrix ended her sentence with a long slurp for dramatic effect and succeeded in giving Bella goose flesh. "Which of course is what they did to Gianna. They have plenty of people who are willing to help them to survive, to become vampires, all of that. And they haven't changed one. Not one. Unless of course they have some kind of special power like Jane and Alec."

She leaned in even closer so that the tip of her nose brushed Bella's. "I don't suppose you have any redeeming qualities to ensure your survival?"

Bella couldn't say a word. She hadn't been thinking about them making her a vampire before, but as Bellatrix spoke she awakened a hope that one day they would. The more she thought about it, the more appealing the idea sounded. But also the more hopeless in light of what Bellatrix had told her.

Would Harry and Albus let her die? Would Alice? Edward? Did they have a reason for keeping her alive at all?

"Oh my. I've frightened you. So sorry, dearie," Bellatrix didn't look sorry. In fact, she looked rather pleased with herself. "I'm sure you'll be the exception. And if not…" She licked her blood red lips. "I'll make sure your death is quick."

"There you are!"

Bellatrix groaned and looked up as her cousin came bounding toward her.

"God dammit, woman! You are clinically incapable of obeying orders! Do you want Remus to kill me?"

"Nothing would please me more…" Bellatrix grumbled as she allowed herself to be led away by the arm. She looked back at her frightened prey. "Remember what I said, dear human. Though I really hope that I'm wrong…" Then she laughed.

And the laugh shook Bella's bones.

Remus paced back and forth in the foyer of Albus' house. He had spent a while blasting Sirius for losing Bellatrix so quickly, but he was even more angry that she had followed them in the first place.

Bellatrix had been known for being off kilter when she was alive, but immortality seemed to have made a bad situation worse.

The door flew open and the boy that Bellatrix had knocked out ran into the room.

Remus, calm and collect as ever, wasted no time in making the frantic-looking boy comfortable. "Ah. Jacob, is it?"

"Where's Bella?" The boy looked as though he had run there from his internment at the Cullens'.

"Quite indisposed at the moment. Don't worry. We're here to protect her from anything that should harm her. Albus and Harry's orders, really," Remus grinned.

Jacob nodded. "Can I see her?"

Remus' lips tightened. "You're a werewolf, are you not?"

Jacob sighed. "I can control it."

"You're a teenager…" Remus looked concerned. He'd had his fair share of run ins with werewolves, especially since his partner had a bit of a talent for changing into many animals.

"I'm a shape shifter, and I can control it!"

"Regardless, I think it is best that you keep calm and wait until she feels up to entertaining company. Humans are very fragile creatures, you know."

"I'm very aware of that fact…" Jacob threw himself on the couch. "So, you are friends of Harry and Albus?"

"As good of friends as we can be considering their lifestyle of traveling so often. It's like trying to have a close relationship with a grain of sand. One day it's in your hand, the next it could be on a shore a thousand miles away," Remus smiled.

Jacob looked skeptical. "You remind me of him. Albus."

"Oh, any comparison that one makes to Albus can never be completely correct. He has too many different qualities. I've known him for many a millennia and I still think I know hardly anything about him."

"But you know Harry?"

"Harry and Albus are not the same person, though they have enough in common to be inexorably linked. Harry has more qualities that are befitting of a human, while Albus' personality hierarchy shifts more than any human's could."

Jacob nodded. "Doesn't seem like a stable person to me."

"Oh, Albus never claims to be stable. In fact, there are quite a few circumstances involving Albus that makes the possibility of completely trusting him impossible."

"But Harry trusts him?"

"Harry is just as untrustworthy as Albus in many ways."

"So how can you be sure that they are doing what they say they are doing? How can we be sure that they mean to help us and save Bella?"

"We don't. But they've sent a wide variety of people here under the direction of protecting Bella and the Cullens. That means something, no matter how you look at it."

"So are they capable of love?"

Remus laughed. "My, you are full of questions. I always thought that werewolves despised vampires above all other creature on earth."

"You're protecting Bella. I figured it would be counterproductive to kill you."

"Indeed it would be, assuming of course that you are capable of killing me, which I highly doubt."

"You underestimate me."

"Of course I don't. I hardly know you. I would be unreasonable to make any assumptions about your strength since I have not experienced it. I am merely making a rational statement taking into consideration my age, history of dealing with werewolves, and the fact that the first time I saw you, you were unconscious in the arms of a woman who is by all accounts insane."

Jacob blinked.

"Thank God, he doesn't talk like that all the time. I think I would go dizzy with cranial overhaul," a tall man with black hair laughed as he descended from the second floor. "See? I can use big words. Cranial?"

"I'm impressed, Sirius," Remus laughed.

"Talking about me?" Sirius asked.

"Jacob, this is Sirius Black, my partner," Remus introduced.

"Yep. Carlisle informs me that we have the same last name! We're practically related!" Sirius's laugh sounded suspiciously like a bark and Jacob was left to wonder if that were actually a possibility.

"Doubtful."

Sirius raised a bow at the uncooperative boy. "Well, isn't he Mr. Marvelous?" he whispered to Remus, who chuckled to himself. "You don't look at all happy to be here, my boy, so what is the point of standing there looking angry when you could be outside licking yourself?"

Remus hit Sirius over the head, but Jacob rolled his eyes. "I'm here because Bella is here."

"The self-destructive one?"

"She has some issues accepting reality, no doubt…" Jacob answered, sounding unhappy about that particular truth.

"I'll tell you right now, son. If they haven't killed her by now, she's safe," Sirius laughed.

"What about that crazy woman?"

Sirius glared at Jacob for a second during which Remus gave him a thoughtful look.

"You have been keeping an eye on her, haven't you?" Remus asked, searching Sirius' face.

Sirius adopted a guilty look while Jacob tensed. "Relax… the girl is fine and Bellatrix is sedated for now."

"Did Bellatrix get to talk to her?"

"Maybe."

"Sirius, do you know all the things that Bellatrix could have said to that girl? Did she still have color when you found her?"

"Oh please. What could Bellatrix tell her that she didn't already know?"

Remus threw an exasperated look at his partner. "I'm going to talk to her, and you make sure that Bellatrix is still where you left her or so help me I will scalp you down the middle."

Sirius watched as Remus left to find the human. "And they wonder why vampires and humans can't be friends. Humans ruin every relationship they find themselves in." He looked at Jacob again who looked horrified. "Do everyone a favor and club her. Hit her over the head, drag her away and marry her and live happily ever after. Do us all a favor."

Jacob threw his hands in the air. "Nothing would please me more."

Edward sat in a chair in Harry's library He spent much of his time there, reading Harry's books and imagined Harry would be standing on the other side of the room, nose buried in a history book or paging through a philosophy text or teaching himself new card games in the corner of the room that overlooked the backyard.

He eyed the books that lay discarded on the table behind the chair and picked up the top one. It wasn't a history book, as he had come to expect. It was a medical journal. In fact, all the books on the back table were medical journals.

He opened the first book on the pile, leafing through it slowly and finding many pages in which symptoms were circled, highlighted, and pages that were ripped out. He wondered how long they had worked on this project. The map was in plain sight, but they had hid this behind the chair, perhaps not wanting anyone else to see it.

Below was a notebook and Edward opened that as well. At the top it read Liam and rest of the page read like a list.

"Allergies to most metals, toxins, detergent, gluten, lactose…"

Suddenly, the door swung wide open, and a man Edward had never seen before entered the room. Long black hair hung in his eyes, and when he looked up, he looked most displeased that another person was there.

"Who are you?" The man asked. Edward was surprised at his deep voice and dismal attitude so soon. The man obviously had some social awkwardness he needed to work on.

Edward cleared his throat. "Edward Cullen. Who are you?"

"Not important. Why are you in Dumbledore's library?"

"It's Harry's library and it's none of your business until you tell me who you are," Edward sneered, unnerved by the man's gall.

The hooked-nose man snarled. "I'm a friend of the family, if you don't mind. And since the brat asked me to have a look at the contents of the library I don't see any reason for you to be pestering me, so run off. Make yourself scarce." The man swept into the room like a shadow and started rummaging as if he owned the place. It only irritated Edward more.

"I see no reason to leave you here alone, even if you claim that Harry and Albus sent you."

"If you would like proof, you may ask the young lady downstairs, but your feelings are not something I am concerned with," he murmured as he finally found the stack of books that Edward had been perusing before. He looked up just long enough to glare at Edward before catching sight of the texts in Edward's hands.

"Were those in this pile, you insolent fool?" Edward was impressed at how angry the man could get without losing the silky texture in his voice. "Those were placed here for my explicit use. Put them back this instant!"

"Are you looking for information on Liam's symptoms?" Edward was finally putting information together. It wasn't helping that the man's mind was unusually blank. Perhaps Albus had told him that he could read minds.

"If what you have in your hand pertains to the boy, then you'd best be giving it to me."

Edward felt his hands reaching to hand the journal to the dark and irritating man. "What are you doing?" He asked uncertainly, watching as his hand defied the wishes of his mind.

"Make no mistake, miscreant. Whether you like it or not, I always get what I want in the end. Give me the book and make yourself scarce. I will be needing solitude if I am expected to work."

Edward unwillingly handed the book to the dark man and felt his legs beginning to work against him, dragging the rest of his body to the door. Before he reached it, it opened again. The shaggy haired man he had met before walked through, eyed him oddly, and then glared at the man who then had his abnormally large nose buried so deeply in one of the journals that Edward was sure it was touching the page.

"Severus, how dare you treat our host in such a manner!"

"Is he the owner of this house?"

"No, but—."

"Then he is not the host. In fact, I am quite sure that our hosts are far off in another country if the time line still applies to when they said they would be arriving."

Edward's head snapped back. "You know when they will be back?

Severus sneered. "Foolish boy, use your head and perhaps you'll realize that they will definitely be back before the Volturi get here. Seems plausible, don't you?" He said all this, without looking up from his book. He narrowed his eyes as he read. "Seems to me this boy would better be dead than alive. Allergic to the world… MCS, most probably."

"Multiple Chemical Sensitivity? In such a young boy? That must be agonizing…" Remus said, thoughtfully. "No wonder Harry wanted us to have a look at him."

Edward narrowed his eyes. "Harry did say he felt something of a connection to the boy. Why would he feel a connection to a boy with MCS?"

Remus licked his lips and Edward was struck by the sudden darkness in his eyes. "Harry was once human, as you are aware. According to Albus, he had a number of conditions when he was mortal. He was always small for his age and if he had been allowed to age past puberty…"

"It is certain that he would have procured more serious symptoms as he grew, and he was especially unlucky to have been born during that time. It would cause him to be shunned and most probably killed by his people. They would have had no use for him. That was partly why Albus took him in in the first place. Not only was he a child that no one else in his group would have cared for, but he was sickly as well. Ill-cared for and tormented before Albus stepped in," Severus continued.

"Wait. He was beaten as a baby?"

"They shook him at times, but luckily Albus got to him before they disconnected his spinal cord. Albus was an exceptionally good healer and Harry grew up as healthy as he could given the circumstances, but he was allergic to most things. His skin was very sensitive to just about everything. We believe it was a side effect of his rough handling as an infant," Remus said.

"I always wondered what made Albus change Harry before he was older," Edward murmured.

"What are you to him, exactly?" Severus asked. "You seem particularly worthless to me. I thought someone who could read minds would be a bit more intelligent."

Right. So Harry had said something to the cold excuse for a man. "I can't really tell what you're thinking when you aren't thinking anything, can I?"

Severus huffed. "Aro's powers are more useful. Why he would want you for his tribe is beyond me."

Edward sighed. "Can we get back to Harry please?"

"I feel that if Harry didn't confide the rest of the information to you, then it is not my place to enlighten you. Now if you don't mind, I would like to work."

Remus smiled at Edward and made a gesture for him to follow out the door.

"I apologize for Severus. He suffers from a personality disorder that has something or other to do with his upbringing."

Severus turned away in response, his nose buried deeply in the notebook.

"Come, Edward. I think there are a few things I would talk to you about," Remus smiled, leading Edward out of the library.

Severus turned, watching the younger boy's back as he exited the room. "Who will be the one to change the boy when everyone in this house covets life so much. Wasteful." He sneered and stuck his nose back in the book.

Craig waited. His white suit was crisp and he watched the terrain from the plane window. They were due any minute and he was getting restless. He licked his lips, waiting for their forms to break through the trees. They hadn't much time. It was getting too close. The last plane he had sent contained four more people, the last of those he had managed to round up. Now he needed the keys to victory, whenever they chose to appear.

He poured himself a glass of red wine just as Albus appeared at the door to the plane. Craig made a show of checking his watch, raising a brow at the older looking gentleman.

"Do forgive me, Craig. It appears Harry and Gellert got into a bit of a scuffle on the way here. Just like old times, they will never be able to settle their differences for good."

"What are they fighting about now?"

"Providence only knows."

The last of Albus' words passed as a very disgruntled Harry stomped up the stairs to the plane and immediately took the seat at the end, closing the privacy doors without a word.

Albus turned to look at Gellert who looked a bit disenchanted with his current situation. "What is this contraption?"

"I'll tell you what, I'll tell you everything there is to know about the wonders of modern technology if you explain to me what you said to Harry that got him in such a state," Albus said and Gellert registered the look in his former lover's eyes.

"Just a heart-to-heart conversation about life, love, and other mysteries," he said.

"Don't patronize me. I could your oldest ancestor and you would never know."

Gellert seemed ashamed for a moment before answering. "Just a question about where my loyalty lies. He wanted to make sure I was coming for the help and not just to get in your pants."

Albus laughed, "I very much pity you if you decide to get in my pants. Rest assured there are plenty of spider-webs in that general area, so if we could please move on from my lack of sexual escapades…"

"He knows why I am here."

"For my health, I am going to assume that you are here to make amends and become good friends and leave it at that. Let's make one thing very clear. I am with Harry, Gellert. Not romantically by an means, but you know that we made that promise to each other eons ago. I will never put another person before him and he will never put another person before me."

"What about Edward?" Gellert seemed displeased with Albus' answer.

Albus hummed to himself.

Harry opened the privacy door. "I'm with Albus. And luckily, he is never the one to make me choose. But if I had to choose, we know who it would be. Is it that clear for you?" Harry tilted his head.

Gellert pursed his lips. "Your love for each other is as strong as ever."

"Oh if it weren't for the differences in our tastes in men, we could have been quite the couple, right Harry?"

"I'm going to ignore that, Albus," Harry smirked. "There. Albus chooses me. Make your choice and stick with it." The doors closed again with a snap.

Gellert sighed. "He acts as though he's doing me the favor in bringing me along."

"And we wouldn't want him any other way, would we?" Albus asked.

"Can you please sit? We're going to be late," Craig said, not amused by the verbal discourse.

Carlisle rushed outside when he heard a car racing up the driveway. In fact, he had heard it almost a mile or two away because the music was blaring so loud. He wondered for a moment if some humans had decided that today of all days they would try to explore the infamous Cullen property unannounced.

He relaxed when he saw the pale complexions of those in the car. It looked to contain two redheads, one black-haired male and a frizzy-haired female. He raised his brow when he noticed that the red-headed male and the black-haired one appeared to be singing along with the music and rocking their heads around in rhythm while the two females looked as though they were about to throttle the both of them.

The door opened and the older woman in the back seat strutted out, running her fingers through her thick red hair, looking a bit shaken "I swear, I am never getting in a car with you idiots again!" She was followed by the younger girl, who looked equally ruffled.

"Honestly. It would be one thing if we were late, but it appears we arrived right on time," she said in a bit of a self-important drawl. The two in the car rolled their eyes and turned the music off, following their respective mates.

Carlisle stepped down the stairs, making to welcome them, but someone else beat him to the punch.

"Good God, they didn't invite you, did they? I thought this was something of an A-list friends party." Carlisle recognized Draco Malfoy's voice and turned to see him eying the newcomers in distaste.

"Of course it is, but that doesn't explain why you're here, does it?" The older man sneered upon seeing the blond. "I'll tell you what. Why don't you let the grown-ups handle the fighting and you can go stare at yourself in the lake. That way everyone is doing what they do best." The man's grin was entirely self-satisfied.

Draco snarled, "If everyone was to do what they do then the whole lot of you would be in front of the telly playing their hand-helds, am I right?"

The younger red-haired boy growled.

"Jamie! I was wondering when you get here! You almost missed the party!" Sirius Black called out as he took off towards his friend.

By this time Remus, Severus, Fleur, William, Fred and George, and most of the other guests had appeared at the door to see what the commotion was about. Lucius and Severus merely rolled their eyes and walked back into the house. Remus, however, followed Sirius' example and paid proper welcome to his friends.

Edward was startled at how much the black-haired man, James, bore a resemblance to Harry. They could have been related, even twins. The man didn't have Harry's eyes though, and his nose was slightly longer. But otherwise, it was almost a perfect likeness.

"Ah. This must be the famous Edward." The red-headed lady approached to give Edward a hug. "Such a handsome young man. Much better than those other men Harry normally spends his time with."

Edward noticed Draco scowl at the woman's comment. "I was the best thing that's ever happened to him, Lily. This one doesn't even know where to put it."

"Not saying you weren't my dear. It's just nice to see that people can still make commitments that mean something these days." Lily smiled sweetly at the angry Malfoy, before turning to Edward again. "We must talk, soon, my dear. I must know more about Harry's intended. It's so romantic. Fate still works in strange ways, doesn't she?"

Lily took Draco's arm and allowed him to lead her into the house.

SLAP!

He turned quickly to see the red-headed man rubbing his cheek with the brown-haired female looking at him.

"Bloody hell, Hermione!"

"Keep it in your pants, you animal. At least pretend like you already have a mate," Hermione growled and then turned her glare to someone directly behind Edward. He turned to see Fleur looking smug.

"Merlin. What the hell kind of man would I be if I didn't even notice a beautiful woman…." The man grumbled, slouching up the stairs.

Carlisle shook his hand. "Carlisle Cullen. Thank you so much for coming, Mr…"

"Ron Weasley. Pleased also. I figure if you're going to ruin our lives, might as well get good use out of the telly. Got a chessboard by any chance?" He asked as he went into the house to be greeted by the rest of the company.

"Hermione Granger. I apologize for my husband."

"And I apologize for bringing a harpy!" called Ron from inside. "Can't help it, she follows me around wherever I go. Obsessed with me, really."

Hermione stalked into the house, presumably to slap her amusing husband again.

Carlisle shared a look with Edward. "They certainly have met some interesting people in their lifetimes." Carlisle smiled. At the very least, they would be having a very good interesting time until the Volturi and Harry and Albus made it back.

A few hours later, the Cullens got the news they were dreading.

"What is it, Alice? Jasper asked, as Alice's back suddenly went stiff.

"They're here," Alice whispered, staring straight into the forest.

Everyone in the room was on their feet in seconds. Carlisle took his feet slowly, and looked over when he felt an arm around him. He looked over to see Sirius Black, giving him a reassuring smile.

"Don't you worry, my friend. If worse comes to worse, we'll just find you a new human and it'll all be better."

Carlisle smiled slightly, but knew it was no use. He knew better than anyone that this was no longer about Bella. It was about him. It was about Edward and Alice. But he resisted telling his guests that it was them that needed protecting. After all, what was their incentive to help them when they hardly knew each other? He shared a look with Edward, knowing that his son would do next to anything to save his family. He just hoped the cost wasn't too high.

Edward walked out the back door, feeling Alice and Jasper behind him, along with the Denali clan, Sirius and Remus, a bored-looking Bellatrix, and Bella being gripped by Jacob. Harry, where are you?

"Looks like we were just in time," James said, stretching.

"We all know we are headed to our deaths, but we had fun along the way. It's going to be a long and arduous fight, but I have no doubt…. OUCH!"

"No one wants to hear your cheesy monologue, Black."

"Easy, Snivellus. We all know you can't give speeches worth a damn."

Edward wished he could be as light-hearted as they were. They had probably seen more fights than him, anyway. But there was dread poking at his heart.

They started into the woods, ready to meet what was coming.

TBC

Ah. We're getting close to the end now.

Love, Azzie.